While Rabbi Yoel Malik pled guilty to a single misdemeanor count of Sexual Misconduct, Oral/Anal Conduct (NYS PL 130.20.02) his charge sheet included another 52 misdemeanor counts and 24 felony counts of sex crimes with minors which the record shows the DA and the defendant agreed to have covered by the single misdemeanorplea. Therewere additional felony and misdemeanor charges that were dropped.

I get plea deal bargaining. They spare the victims the ordeal of a trial, save prosecution resources, and eliminate the risk of an acquittal. But an average of 2 days per felony sex crime? That was no deal; it was a giveaway, a travesty. The victims and justice were bamboozled and the public was endangered.

The DA defends this disgraceful trade of less than one day in jail per charge because the victims were “extremely reluctant to testify publicly.” Mind you, the DA doesn’t even say they refused. The DA may be exaggerating, though it is doubtlessly true they were reluctant and the DA knows why. The ultra orthodox community harasses and intimidates victims of sex crimes committed by orthodox Jews. The intimidation is extreme. They are just like the Mafia, street gangs, and drug cartels.

The DA should seek every possible opportunity to prosecute victim intimidation. The word should go out in the orthodox world: “Try to intimidate a victim and you will pay.”But to date, Brooklyn DA Kenneth Thompson has never initiated the prosecution of an orthodox Jew who tried to intimidate a victim.Thompson and his head of sex crimes, ADA Gregory, are silent partners of the orthodox intimidators. But it is worse than that. Even when they have willing witnesses, they run the other way.

Meilech Schnitzlerthrew bleach into the face of anti abuse activist, Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg. But for the quick response of an Hispanic bystander who doused him with water, this Hasidic crusader could have been blinded. The rabbi was totally willing to testify. There were other witnesses on the street from outside the community. Thompson’s response was a no- jail plea bargain.

DA Kenneth Thomson has entered into an unholy compact with the ultra orthodox community. The DA does the least he possibly can when it comes to those who rape and molest orthodox children (unless they are gentiles) and they in turn will support him when he seeks reelection or election to a higher office. Shame on all of them.